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Russians carry out constant aerial surveillance with drones

September 10, 2014

Concentration of Russian troops in direction to Mariupol and in Crimea

Summary of the most important events for September 9, 2014 by Dmytro Tymchuk

1. Border guards state that Russian troops carry out constant aerial surveillance of our [Ukrainian] troops in the area of Mariupol and administrative border of Crimea. During the last day there were registered 2 drones.

According to the data of Information Resistance group border guards don’t shot the drones down due to one simple reason. Previously they used to fly at an altitude of 300-500 metres and one could shoot them down with small arms, but now Russians make them fly at an altitude of 1000 metres. The border guards don’t have air defense systems to destroy objects at such altitude.

But the very fact of active reconnaissance in directions where Russians currently concentrate their troops is not an optimistic one. Everyone knows what it means. Although Ukrainian servicemen state that they’ll provide defense of border with Crimea and Mariupol.

2. The media reported that the entire ‘Cherkasy’ battalion – more than 400 people – had refused to carry out their mission and go to the front. The argument is very simple – the battalion didn’t receive heavy weapons. ‘Cherkasy’ were sent to the checkpoint near Donetsk only with machine guns.

The sympathies of the masses are apparently on the side of the battalion. But, let’s look at the situation deeper. Arms-related regulation says nothing about the situation when soldiers don’t like the received order, and it doesn’t say that they should call journalists and tell the whole country about this. Have they reported this to their commandment before calling for mass media? Thus the situation looks like soldiers have been sent into battle against heavy artillery on their own.

One should remember that such histories are a reliable tool to demoralize not only the personnel of the departments but also just mobilized citizens. Long before being sent to the conflict zone they zre sure they they have been betrayed and one can think of 1000 and more reasons to refuse fighting. Thus they can call for journalists and make a scandal and even become heroes.

In general such cases should be commented by commandment of the armed forces. Such problems should be solved in due course.

Source: head of Centre of Military and Political Studies and coordinator of Information Resistance group Dmytro Tymchuk